Summary

This story is set during the Edo period and centers on the Takase River in Kyoto, which was used to transport convicted criminals to Osaka for exile to remote islands. The narrative explores deep philosophical questions about poverty, suffering, and what constitutes happiness — themes that were informed by Mori Ogai's reading of European Enlightenment thought as well as traditional Japanese moral philosophy. The story draws on an anecdote from 'Ihon Okina Gusa,' a collection of Edo-period tales.